[Ralph laughed weakly at the unforeseen compliment; it really did mean a lot to him to hear that he could be a good speaker, at least with kids. If only he could be "good at talking" while reading company policies...maybe then, he'd be a little less self-conscious.] β Thanks, bud. For what it's worth, I like talking to you, too. β
[Evan was quiet for a moment, presumably taking everything in. Ralph just hoped that their silence wasn't out of self-deprecation, the way it would have been for him. Ralph could never internalize any encouragement he received. If Evan was the same way, then none of Ralph's words would really stick with them...and unfortunately, that problem was a reflection of Evan's grim home life. Evan deserved better. They were such a good kid...but they were born under the wrong roof.]
[Ralph's expression fell when Evan nodded. He worried about the message he was sending, though it was truthful. He didn't want to instill such nihilism into a child who simply needed kindness, but he didn't want to instill false hope either. He wished he could do more.]
[Fortunately, Evan didn't respond negatively...in fact, it seemed that Ralph's honesty had inspired them. What a relief.]
β Yeah, I...I know it's not something you want to hear, but I'm glad that it helped. And hey, like I said, you're more than welcome to hide out here. β [...Even though it was strictly against company policy. Ralph opened his mouth to speak again, to offer a second home, but he instead bit his tongue. Sure, sharing his house might guarantee Evan's safety, but he was already dreading the trouble he'd get into just for sheltering Evan in an "employees only" area. He didn't want to risk further upsetting Mr. Afton. But...if he got the opportunity, he'd gladly take Evan in.]
[To his surprise ( and relief ), Evan already had an idea in mind. A detective agency, huh? "Whimsical" as it was, Evan had evidently put some thought into it. If they were running all across town -- and therefore, out of their house and away from their family -- then they wouldn't have to worry about being tormented. In theory, at least. At that thought, Ralph quietly ( and hopefully discreetly ) knocked three times on the office's deck. It wasn't wooden, but the simple, albeit paranoid, gesture eased his mind.]
β That isn't a bad idea! I think you'd be a great detective. β [Ralph started with a smile. It was his job as a parent and Fazbear employee to encourage the littles' ideas and creativity, and although he couldn't help worrying about a concept like this, he could definitely offer enough support to make it safe and fun.] β Do you have a place in mind? To set up your agency, I mean. Oh, and what about transportation -- er, how would you get around? Walking around as a detective would be pretty tough on your feet, y'know? β
[Aaand it seemed that his experience with interviews was rubbing off on him a little. He was treating this like a proper, adult business opportunity when it was supposed to be fun. He cleared his throat and started again.] β ...Hey, if you want, I could collect some of the missing posters around town for you. Just to get your agency off the ground, y'know? And if you ever need a ride or some tips, I could, uh...I might be able to help. β [That distinction was important; he could definitely make time to give Evan rides around town, but his schedule wasn't consistent enough to guarantee that. And as for tips? He would not be able to help. He wasn't terrible at solving puzzles. But before he bit off more than he could chew, he paused so Evan had a chance to speak.]
β Right? I can't help feeling like everyone forgets the "golden rule," even with animals. β ["Treating others the way you want to be treated" really wasn't that hard, and yet...]
[From Ralph's perspective, it seemed natural for the Aftons and Emilys to be friends -- children included. He'd assumed they were practically one big family...but evidently, that wasn't the case. Huh. Ralph really ought to temper his expectations...they were rarely accurate.]
β Oh, uh- I see. β [At the very least, it seemed like Mr. Emily was kind towards Evan. He'd hoped that Mr. Emily would at least be a close enough "relative" to go to in times of need, but...that didn't seem to be the case. Evan really was isolated. It broke Ralph's heart.] β Well...I'm glad that Mr. Emily -- er, "Uncle Henry" -- is nice to you. That's a really thoughtful present. And now you'll hopefully get a chance to use it! β
[Right -- Evan didn't know that Ralph had a kid. That wasn't very surprising, though, since...]
β Gosh, no. The way she screamed and cried, I -- I promised I'd never bring her here again. β [Sure, it was inconvenient not being able to take her to work with him, but he'd gladly take the alternative of sending her to her grandma's over taking her to Fredbear's. He still couldn't forgive himself for her disaster of a birthday party, and to this day ( this moment, even ), he still got choked up over it. That birthday would have been one of her first solid memories, and he'd ruined it. He breathed shakily and quickly wiped his tears. This wasn't about him, nor was it about Pel.]
β ...I'm sorry. β [It wasn't lost on him that Evan was making a comparison. Coppelia had a horrifying experience, so Ralph refused to bring her back here; Evan was terrified of the place, yet his family continued to bring him here. Evan's situation was cruel...and Ralph was helpless to stop it. He already felt a kinship with the poor kid, so knowing that at the end of the day, they'd have to return to a miserable, hate-filled home devastated him. If only Mr. Afton wasn't in charge...] β It isn't fair. You deserve a nice home and a family that won't hurt you. There...isn't much that I can do, but for what it's worth, I'll always be here. You aren't alone. β
[Ralph relaxed when the conversation returned to simplicity. He beamed when Evan expressed his curiosity for the arcade, even if his access was limited. Of course his brother would frequent the arcade...Evan never got a break.]
β I bet you'd love the arcade, kiddo. Maybe one of these days, I could give you an actual tour...but for now, I'll settle for giving you some tips. I'm a bit of an expert because -- and don't tell big ol' Mr. Fredbear about this -- sometimes I sneak off to play the games. β [He winked as though he was sharing a terrible secret, but it was just an exaggeration. Truthfully, Ralph took his job too seriously to slack off without good reason. But...if he could sneak in a round of Skee-Ball when there wasn't a guest in sight, then he'd gladly do so. He never got a break ( literally -- Fredbear's did not grant its employees a single mandated break ), so the arcade fulfilled that need.]
β Let's see...I'd say that there are three types of arcade games. There's skill-based stuff, like Foxskee-Ball and Foxy's Shoot-'em-Up; luck-based stuff, like Chica's Chick Pond and Foxy's Treasure Hunt; and games that're just there for fun, like Freddy in Space. β [Jeez, he sounded like he was reading off of a script...and he probably was. He'd memorized so many of them that he might as well be a corporate puppet. He cleared his throat. Be human this time, Ralph.]
β Um...basically, there are plenty of games, but you'll probably find your favorite based on the, uh, "genre" you like. I really like Foxskee-Ball, and not just because Foxy's my favorite! β [Slipping! You're slipping back into corporate mode!] β ...I just like the skill-based stuff. It's pretty fun, and if you're good at it, you'll get plenty of tickets too! β